A Place for Everyone
My husband Ray and I have been looking for ways to get involved in our community for quite some time now. It has not been an easy task. I am a full time student, Ray sometimes doesn't get home from work until after 8 in the evening, and we have two school-age children and not much money to pay a babysitter. Luckily we found St. Alexis Episcopal Church and have been able to get involved in family friendly things there. As far as community events go, we have not been able to attend due to timing, no babysitter, or other things, so when Ray heard about the community meeting last night at Sneaky Beans he got excited and attempted to get home from work in time. Ray has a degree in criminal justice, works in loss prevention, and has a lot of practice at taking down an armed shoplifter. There is no doubt he could be of use to a community concerned with defending themselves against crime and looking out for each other. Unfortunately, Ray did not make it home from work in time and couldn't attend the meeting, but even without attending there were just a few things that irked me a bit.
JFP Knows How to Party
On the shelf in my closet, between my Nine West velvet, lace-up wedges and my favorite pin-up style, Mary Jane stilletos, is an empty space. This is where an undiscovered pair of fabulous new shoes for the Best of Jackson party will go.
My Big Fat Problem
At 6 every morning I awake to the sound of the alarm. Most days I groggily get out of bed and go about the daily routine of getting my son to the bus stop on time. But some days, something happens to me when I'm under a lot of stress or not feeling like I'm at my best. On those mornings the first thought in my head after hearing the alarm is, "I'm not going to eat more than 300 calories today."
Tattoo Me
Jason Thomas, founder of Heart in Hand Tattoo and The Ink Spot Gallery, is a Jackson native who supports a variety of artistic endeavors. In addition to providing exceptional tattoo work, he operates an art gallery inside the tattoo shop to support local artists. Heart in Hand Tattoo, formerly The Ink Spot, is a unique tattoo shop centered on the idea that tattoos are a respected art form. You will find no flash on the walls at Heart in Hand. All the tattoo work is custom, meaning that each design is a unique work of art that is a collaboration of ideas between the artist and the client.
Strange Fashion
Sorry. I'm not wearing a cactus.
I tend to reside on the outer edges of fashion forwardness. I don't dress according to the norm I guess you should say, and the contents of my closet are anything but bland. With all the brightly colored shoes and clutches, the knee- high combat boots, t-shirts with racy comments, red and black vinyl pants, and a couple dresses cut down to my navel and requiring 'fashion tape' to keep everything under wraps, and all sorts of anything-but-conservative clothing in my closet, I can honestly say there are some things that are even a little too off the wall for me and will never be a part of my wardrobe.First on this list are Sarah Hood Living Rings, $800. These are little living plants such as cacti or vine-type plants in tiny terra cotta pots atop sterling silver rings. When I see fashion such as this I can't imagine it being used for anything but a conversation peice or something for fashion photography. I would imagine walking down a crowded street would be considered rude if you were wearing a cactus.Next are 'roach brooches'. These are actual living crawling roaches that are decorated with Swarovski crystals and connected to a thin chain that acts as a leash so that the roach can crawl around flashing its little crystals and not slither down your blouse. They were designed in Salt Lake City by designer Jared Gold and sell for $40 to a much higher price depending on how much bling the roach is wearing. They live for about four days with minimum care. I have lost jewelry but not ever due to its death.I have also seen dresses made of bubble wrap, Ramen noodle packaging, and coin purses made of Skoal packages. These have no appeal to me though I would consider silver or black duct tape as possible fabric for an outfit or two.I am definitely on Jackson's extreme end of fashion but wearing a 3 inch roach from Madagascar that actually hisses is where I draw the line.
Painfully Pretty
Beauty can be dangerous for a clumsy girl who is willing to sacrifice a few moments of comfort for beauty.
Save the 4 Letter Words for the Afterparty
A stylish and sophisticated image can be shattered with bad manners and a potty-mouth.
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Eat and Run
Lenny's Sub Shop in Fondren Now Has Wi-Fi
Unrealistic Proportions
Having a Betty Page body in a Kate Moss world
There is only one thing I hate shopping for:jeans. It seems that The Gap is the only place that caters to my body type. I have curves. I have a tiny waist with pin-up hips and I am only 5' 2". I really don't like having to pay $70 to $80 bucks for a pair of jeans either. It's the only thing besides shoes I will spend more money on.
My Father's Hands Have Style
Honoring my Dad's most impressionable quality for Father's Day
People say you can tell a lot about a person from looking into their eyes, but with my father it is his hands that reveal his history, his nature, his strength, and his elegance. I have always loved his hands. They are physically strong as well as strong in presence. The way he holds a pen to write a check or sign a work document with the cuff of the sleeve of his suit perfectly framing his lower palm as he sits at his desk at work is an image that is permanently etched in my mind. You can see hard work in their texture, knowledge in their expression, and class in the way they hold a martini.
Show Me Yours, I'll Show You Mine…Style, I Mean
I want to see more style in Jackson's nightlife.
My boyfriend teases that I only go out to see cute outfits on other girls. It's true. I love dressing for a night out but I also love to see other people expressing themselves with fashion. Not just the women, the men too. It's intersting, and some times disturbing, to see how people adorn themselves. From ripped jeans to stilletos, everyone feels best in ther own style.
Embrace the Pale
I don't think skin cancer would flatter me. I'm using sunscreen.
My grandmother died of skin cancer before I was old enough to remember her. She was absolutely gorgeous. She had smooth milky skin, green eyes, and beautiful curly black hair. She looked like she belonged in a movie with Cary Grant. I see her beauty and I'm inspired to stay out of the tanning salons and wear sunscreen. I wish more people could do the same.
Fashion, Freedom, and Feminism
Can feminists wear micro-minis and still be taken seriously?
The word feminist, as I understand it, describes a woman who believes in the right to make decisions about her life as an individual, not as a certain sex. To me, feminism can mean choosing to be a married woman staying home with five kids while her husband works, just as much as it can mean a woman who chooses not to have children and focus on a career. There are also many women who choose a life somewhere in the middle. The point is that it is all about choice. I choose to work and be home for my son at night, and I choose to get married. I also choose to wear very short skirts. Why does this make some women so angry?
Drinking Wine with a Vulcan
Photos by Caroline Lacy
"You don't seem like the Trekkie type," people say. I suppose they are referring to my lack of computer skills or that I would much rather shop instead of argue over which "Star Trek" series had the best captain. I guess it's obvious to a life-long Trekkie that I have only been a fan for a relatively short time. It was only seven years ago since I saw an entire episode. I remember it well: I was 24, single and knocked up. I had moved back in with my mother and alcoholic stepfather on a horse farm in Athens, Ala. The only places to shop were Wal-Mart and Goodie's. I was in hell. I spent most of my time alone, hiding in my room, doing everything I could to avoid interaction with my stepfather in case the rum and Coke flipped on his meanie switch.
Don't just dress to impress, dress to express
Wearing the wrong outfit makes me feel like someone else
I loved meeting so many interesting people at the chick ball. There were many outfits to be admired. I changed my mind about the dress I bought to wear that night at the last minute. I was determined to wear something pink which is a bit out of character for me. Several days before the chick ball, after searching all over town for something pink I actually liked, I found a short, pink, pleated skirt which immediately make me think of Audrey Hepburn and couldn't think of a better person to represent girlieness, especially with my love of old movies. I even bought some hair extensions so I could put my hair up in a huge Hepburn bun right on top of my head. I got the whole ensemble together and tried it on several times. It was cute. It was stylish. It was pink, but it just didn't feel right. I just can't wear pink, at least not that much of it. I don't fel like a grown-up. I could be wearing a hot pink stripper thong and still just feel unsophisticated. I couldn't do it. It just wasn't me. I'm much more Betty Page than I am Audery hepburn. So, out of time for shopping, I dug through the dep recesses of my closet and found a dress I bought months ago from Hudon's for 5 bucks. It was a bit snug at the time, but I bought it as a weight-loss motivator and it must have worked. I hesitantly tried it on, not wanting to be dissappointed, but lo and behold, it looked fabulous. I instantly felt gorgeous, sexy, and all grown up. This was definitely the dress. I called my boyfriend and said,"You know how I dragged you all over the place for days shopping for that perfect pink outfit you bought for me? Well, I changed my mind?" Being the incredible guy that he is and who knows me well enough to understand my intense love for fashion, was not upset at all. In fact, he even made sure we looked great together by picking out a suit that complemented my dress. I doubt he would have done that if I had worn pink though.I should have known not to try to force myself into a look. It never works. Style is not what you wear, it's how you wear it.
‘Buy Me, Caroline': Tales of An Experienced Clearance Shopper
I can smell a clearance sale a mile away.
I believe I was born with a radar in my brain that can detect the faint sound of red clearance price stickers being applied to shoes, lamps, stationary, imported chocolates, and a hundreds of other items being shoved together on shelves in any shopping venue within a few miles of my wallet. I often leave the house for mundane items like hamburger buns and deodorant and come home with a complete outfit, accessories and all, for under $50. I have found a Betsey Johnson necklace for $4., BCBG shoes for $10., a complete set of Pier 1 plates for $15., and the list goes on and on.
Young Mothers Can Be Great Moms
I don't know many 20-year-old girls who would turn down a good party or give up the freedom and spontaneity of youth for days of diaper-changing and Saturday evenings spent at Chuck E. Cheese. My niece, Erica Leach, has done just that without complaint.